Sofitel to Macalintal: No double discount in Senior Citizens' Law

MANILA - The 5-star Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City reminded lawyer Romulo Macalintal on Wednesday that the Senior Citizens’ Law does not allow double discounts.

In a statement issued by the Ponce Enrile Reyes and Manalastas Law Offices, the posh hotel’s counsels said: “Observe (1) that the senior citizens law does not allow double discounts (refer to Section 4 of Rep. Act No. 9994, and Article 9 of Implementing Rules), (2) that the Accor membership contract also does not allow double discounts, and (3) that all establishments, including restaurants and hotels, do not allow double discounts.”

The hotel issued the statement after Macalintal sued the hotel for allegedly denying him his 20 percent senior citizen’s discount.

The 67-year-old Macalintal explained he used his Sofitel Accor Advantage card, which provides as much as 50 percent discount on food and drinks. He said he pays P8,800 a year for the card.

While the hotel restaurant there gave him a 50 percent discount as a member of the privilege group, it did not give him his additional 20 percent discount for being a senior citizen.

In an interview with radio dzMM, Macalintal explained: "The 20 percent should be on top of the 50 percent discount. They said the 20 percent is already included in the 50 percent. It seems they were the ones who enjoyed my senior citizen’s discount."

He cited the terms and conditions of Accor, which says “nothing in these Terms excludes, limits, modifies or restricts any right or remedy, or any guarantee, warranty or other term or condition implied or imposed by any legislation which cannot lawfully be excluded or limited.”

In response to Sofitel’s statement, Macalintal said the hotel can’t claim the double discount defense since the Accor membership is not a promo “but a privilege bought by its members for P8,800 per year.”

Sofitel lawyers Joseph Sagandoy and Edwardson Ong did not comment further, saying they have yet to receive a formal copy of the complaint filed.

He earlier told ABS-CBNnews,com that they have only received a subpoena from the Pasay prosecutor’s office.